Skived electrical contact for connecting an ic device to a circuit board and method of making a contact by skiving

ABSTRACT

The disclosed embodiments relate to the formation of an electrical contact using a skiving technique. The electrical contact includes a spring structure that has been skived away from an underlying metal body, but the spring remains coupled with the metal body which provides a base for the spring structure. The skived spring portion of the electrical contact may comprise a cantilever-like spring, a coil-like spring, or any other suitable type of spring. Such a spring contact may be used to form an electrical connection between an integrated circuit device and a circuit board (or other substrate). Other embodiments are described and claimed.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/768,382, filed Jun. 26, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,566,228.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed embodiments relate generally to the attachment of anintegrated circuit (IC) device to a circuit board, and more particularlyto a skived electrical contact for connecting an IC device with acircuit board.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One method of coupling an integrated circuit (IC) device to a circuitboard is to use a socket. The socket is secured to the circuit board(e.g., a motherboard), and this socket includes an array of electricalcontacts (e.g., spring contacts, etc.) arranged to mate with acorresponding array of electrical leads (e.g., pins, lands, pads, bumps,etc.) on the IC device. Typically, the socket contacts are carried orsupported in a frame, housing, or other support structure. A clamp orother retention mechanism may secure the IC device in the socket andcompress the IC device leads against the mating contact array of thesocket to form electrical connections between these two components. Theaforementioned socket may not, however, be suitable for systems having asmall form factor, such as hand-held computers, cell phones, and othermobile computing systems. For example, the combined height of the socketand mating IC device may be unsuitable for these small form factorproducts.

Alternatively, an IC device may be directly attached to a circuit board,thereby eliminating the need for a socket. By way of example, ball-gridarray (BGA) technology may be utilized to couple an IC device with acircuit board, wherein a plurality of electrical leads on the IC device(e.g., an array of solder bumps, an array of copper columns, etc.) isattached to a mating set of contacts on the circuit board (e.g., lands,pads, solder bumps, etc.). A solder reflow process may be performed tocreate permanent electrical (and mechanical) connections between the ICdevice leads and circuit board contacts. A surface mount technique, suchas the above-described BGA process, can reduce the height of a circuitboard assembly. However, because of the reflowed solder connections (orother permanent or semi-permanent connections), such an approach canmake re-work costly, reduce flexibility in the assembly flow, and makesystem upgrades difficult.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an assembly including anembodiment of a skived electrical contact.

FIGS. 2A-2I are schematic diagrams illustrating an embodiment of formingthe skived electrical contact shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an assembly including anotherembodiment of a skived electrical contact.

FIGS. 4A-4H are schematic diagrams illustrating an embodiment of formingthe skived electrical contact shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method offorming an electrical contact on a substrate using a skiving technique.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed embodiments relate, in part, to the formation of anelectrical contact—or contact array—using a skiving technique. Otherembodiments relate, in part, to devices including the aforementionedskived contacts. For example, in one embodiment, an array of skivedcontacts may be used to form a socketless connection between an ICdevice and a circuit board.

Generally, in a skiving process, a cutting tool (e.g., a blade) engagesa metal body and cuts away a portion of the metal. This metal body mayhave any suitable shape and may comprise any suitable metal, such as,for example, copper, aluminum, brass, bronze, nickel, and silver, aswell as alloys of these and other metals. The cut-away portion of metalseparates from the metal body, but remains connected to this underlyingbody. Accordingly, a section of the metal body may be shaved off by acutting tool, such that one end of the shaved portion curls upwards awayfrom the body whereas an opposing end of the shaved material remainscoupled with the underlying body. Thus, the shaved metal structure andthe underlying metal body from which the shaved structure was formedremain a single continuous piece of material after skiving. By way ofexample, the shaved portion may comprise an upward-extendingstructure—such as a fin—that remains attached to the remaining metalbody—which forms the fin's base—wherein the fin and base comprises asingle piece of material. Thus, skiving may enable the formation of astructure that extends away from an underlying support or base, withthis structure and the corresponding base comprising an integrated part.

Referring now to FIG. 1, illustrated is an embodiment of an assembly100. The assembly 100 may comprise any type of computing device. Forexample, the assembly 100 may comprise (or form part of) a hand-heldcomputing device, a mobile computing device, a wireless communicationsdevice, a laptop computer, a desk-top computer, a server, etc.

The assembly 100 includes an integrated circuit (IC) device 120 that isdisposed on a circuit board 110. In one embodiment, the circuit board110 comprises any substrate capable of providing electricalcommunication between the components disposed on the board. For example,the circuit board 110 may comprise a multi-layer structure comprised ofalternating layers of a dielectric material and a metal (e.g., copper).Further, these dielectric build-up layers may be disposed over a corelayer (e.g., a dielectric material or perhaps a metal core). Any one ormore of the metal layers may be formed in a desired circuit pattern toroute—perhaps in conjunction with other metal layers—electrical signalsto and from the devices coupled with the circuit board 110. However, thedisclosed embodiments are not limited to the above-described multi-layercircuit board, and it should be understood that the disclosedembodiments may find application to other types of substrates.

The IC device 120 may include one or more processing systems, as well asother components. For example, IC device 120 may include amicroprocessor, a network processor, a graphic processor, a wirelesscommunications device, a chipset, etc., as well as any combination ofthese and other devices. Other components that may be disposed within ICdevice 120 include a memory (e.g., a flash memory, any type of DynamicRandom Access Memory, etc.), a memory controller, a voltage regulator,as well as passive components (e.g., capacitors, filters, antennas,etc.).

In addition to IC device 120, one or more additional components 130 maybe disposed on the circuit board 110. Additional components 130 that maybe disposed on circuit board 110 include, for example, a graphicsdisplay (e.g., a liquid crystal display, or LCD), passive components(e.g., antennas, capacitors, etc.), a cooling device (e.g., a fan or apassive cooling device, such as a heat sink), a voltage regulator,and/or a power supply (e.g., a battery), as well as other IC devices.

Also, in one embodiment, the assembly 100 includes a housing 140 thatsupports and/or encases the circuit board 110 and the components 120,130 disposed thereon. This housing 140 may include one or more aperturesor other access points that provide access to components disposed on thecircuit board 110 (e.g., for viewing an LCD, for battery access, etc.).Housing 140 may be constructed from any suitable material or combinationof materials, including plastics, metals, and/or composite materials.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, the IC device 120 includes an IC die160 that is disposed on a substrate 150. Substrate 150 may comprise anysuitable type of substrate capable of providing electricalcommunications between the IC die 160 and the underlying circuit board110. The substrate 150 may also provide structural support for the die160. By way of example, in one embodiment, substrate 150 comprises amulti-layer substrate—including alternating layers of a dielectricmaterial and metal—built-up around a core layer (either a dielectric ormetal core), as previously described. In another embodiment, thesubstrate 150 comprises a core-less multi-layer substrate. Other typesof substrates and substrate materials may also find use with thedisclosed embodiments (e.g., ceramics, sapphire, glass, etc.).

A number of interconnects 165 may extend between the IC die 160 andsubstrate 150. The interconnects 165 provide electrical connectionsbetween the die 160 and substrate 150, and these interconnects may alsoaid in mechanically securing the die to the substrate 150. In a furtherembodiment, a layer of underfill (not shown in figures) may be disposedbetween the IC die 160 and the substrate 150, and this underfill layermay also assist in securing the die to the substrate. The interconnects165 may comprise any suitable type of interconnect and may comprise anysuitable electrically conductive materials. For example, each of theinterconnects 165 may comprise a copper column extending from die 160and a mating solder bump disposed on the substrate 150 that areelectrically and mechanically joined by a solder reflow process. Ofcourse, it should be understood that many other types of interconnectsand materials are possible. Further, according to one embodiment, thesubstrate 150 may comprise alternating layers of dielectric material andmetal that are built-up around the die 160 itself, this processsometimes referred to as a “bumpless build-up process.” Where such anapproach is utilized, the separate interconnects 165 may not be needed(since the build-up layers may be disposed directly over the die 160).

The IC device 120 may, in one embodiment, further include a lid or heatspreader 170 (sometimes referred to as an integrated heat spreader, orIHS). The heat spreader 170 may comprise any suitable thermallyconductive material, such as, for example, copper or a copper alloy. Alayer of a thermal interface material (or TIM) 180 may be disposedbetween the die 160 and heat spreader 170. The TIM layer 180 comprisesany material capable of thermally coupling (and perhaps mechanicallysecuring) the heat spreader 170 to die 160. Suitable thermal interfacematerials include, for example, solders and conductive polymers. In afurther embodiment, a layer of epoxy or other adhesive 175 may securethe heat spreader 170 to the underlying substrate 150. Also, in yetanother embodiment, a heat sink (not shown in figures) may be thermallycoupled with the heat spreader 170 (or, alternatively, a heat sink maybe directly thermally coupled with the die, in which case a heatspreader may be omitted).

To electrically couple the IC device 120 to circuit board 110, a numberof electrical contacts 190 are disposed on an upper surface of thecircuit board 110 (or, alternatively, on a lower surface of thesubstrate 150). Each of the contacts 190 comprises a skived structureformed by the above-described skiving process (or any similartechnique). Further, the contacts 190 are each capable of mating with acorresponding electrical lead on the IC device 120—e.g., a land, pad, orbump, etc. (not shown in figures) formed on the underside of substrate150—to form an electrical connection between the IC device 120 andcircuit board 110. Any suitable number and arrangement of the electricalcontacts 190 may be employed. Typically, for example, the electricalcontacts 190 are arranged in a pattern or array that matches acorresponding set of electrical leads on the IC device 120. According toone embodiment, a contact 190 includes a spring structure. For example,as shown in FIG. 1 (and FIGS. 2A-2F, which will be discussed below), acontact may comprise a cantilever-like spring. In another embodiment (asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4A-4F, which will be discussed below), a contactmay comprise a coil-like spring. A retention mechanism (not shown infigures) may be used to secure the IC device 120 on circuit board 110and, further, to compress the electrical leads on the IC device 120against the spring contacts 190.

Illustrated in FIGS. 2A through 2F, as well as FIGS. 2G through 2I, areembodiments of the formation of the skived contact 190 shown in FIG. 1.Referring first to FIG. 2A, a body of metal 292 is disposed on thecircuit board 110. In one embodiment, a single spring contact 190 willbe formed from this metal body 292; however, in other embodimentsmultiple spring structures may be formed from the same metal body. Itshould be noted that in each of FIGS. 2A-2F, a plan view of a portion ofcircuit board 110 and metal body 292 (and ultimately contact 190) isshown in the upper portion of the figure, whereas a side elevation viewof these structures is shown in the lower portion of the figure. In eachof FIGS. 2G-2I, only a plan view is illustrated.

The metal body 292 may have any suitable shape. In one embodiment, asshown in the figures, the metal body 292 may comprise arectangular-shaped pad or column extending upwards from the board 110.It should be understood, however, that metal body 292 may have any othersuitable shape (e.g., a circular-shaped pad or column, an oval-shapedpad or column, etc.). Also, body 292 may comprise any suitable metalamenable to the skiving process. For example, the metal body 292 maycomprise copper, a copper alloy (e.g., beryllium copper), aluminum, analuminum alloy, brass and other brass alloys, phosphor bronze, nickelsilver, etc. Further, in other embodiments, the body 292 may comprise anelectrically conductive metal, and the metal body 292 may beelectrically coupled with one or more conductors in the substrate 110.

Turning to FIG. 2B, a skiving tool 205 is shown, and this skiving toolwill be used to form a spring contact by skiving. Skiving tool 205 maycomprise any suitable blade or cutting tool capable of performing askiving operation on the metal body 292 to form an electrical contact190. The skiving tool 205 may be constructed from any suitable material(e.g., carbide, tungsten carbide, high strength steel, etc.). It shouldbe noted that, for clarity and ease of illustration, the cutting tool205 is only shown in the lower elevation view in each of FIGS. 2Bthrough 2E.

Referring now to FIG. 2C, skiving has commenced, and the cutting tool205 has engaged the metal body 292. The cutting tool 205 is moving in adirection denoted by the arrow 5 in each of FIGS. 2C-2E. As the cuttingtool 205 engages the metal body 292, a portion 294 of the metal body iscut away, and this cut-away portion 294 begins to separate and, in thisinstance, curl upwards away from the underlying body 292. As shown inFIGS. 2D and 2E, with continued movement of the cutting tool 205relative to the metal body 292, the size of the skived away portion 294increases, and this structure continues to bend upwards away from theunderlay body 292. In FIG. 2E, the cutting tool 205 is shown at thepoint of maximum cutting depth into the metal body 292.

Referring to FIG. 2F, skiving is complete, and the cutting tool 205 hasbeen retracted from the metal body 292. After removal of the cuttingtool, the skived portion 294 remains curled upwards (or otherwiseseparated from body 292), and this upwardly extending skived portion 294may form a spring electrical contact (in this case, a cantilever-likespring). The remaining portion of the metal body 292 is secured to thecircuit board 110 and provides a base for the skived portion 294.Together the base (un-skived portion of metal body 292) and the springcontact (skived portion 294) form a spring contact 190, and this springcontact comprises a single piece of material.

In FIGS. 2A-2F, the entire width of the rectangular-shaped metal body292 was engaged by the cutting tool 205, such that the resulting springcontact has a width substantially the same as that of the underlyingbody 292. However, it should be understood that less than the entirewidth of the metal body 292 may be engaged by the cutting tool 205. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 2G, the skived portion 294 may comprise arelatively narrower strip of material shaved from a center region of themetal body 292. Also, as previously mentioned, the metal body 292 fromwhich a skived contact 190 is formed may have any other suitable shape.By way of example, as shown in FIGS. 2H and 2I, the metal body 292 maycomprise a circular-shaped pad or column. In FIG. 2H, the cutting toolhas a width at least equal to a diameter of the metal body 292, and theskived portion 294 has a circular shape. Conversely, in FIG. 2I, thecutting tool is narrower than the metal body's diameter, and the skivedportion 294 comprises a narrower strip of material shaved from a centerregion of the metal body 292 (similar to FIG. 2G).

Turning now to FIG. 3, illustrated is an assembly 300 which includesanother embodiment of a skived electrical contact 390. The assembly 300is generally similar to the assembly 100 shown in FIG. 1 and describedabove, and like elements have retained the same numerical designationsin FIG. 3. Further, a description of like elements in FIGS. 1 and 3 isnot repeated here. The assembly 300 includes a number of skivedelectrical contacts 390 disposed on the upper surface of circuit board110 (or, alternatively, on a lower surface of the substrate 150), andthese contacts will again electrically couple the IC device 120 to board110. Similar to the contacts 190 of FIG. 1, each of the contacts 390comprises a skived structure, and each is capable of mating with acorresponding electrical lead on the IC device 120—e.g., a land, pad, orbump, etc. (not shown in figures) formed on the underside of substrate150—to form an electrical connection between the IC device 120 andcircuit board 110. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, however, each of thecontacts 390 comprises a coil-like spring. Any suitable number andarrangement of the electrical contacts 390 may be employed, and in oneembodiment the contacts 390 are arranged in a pattern or array thatmatches a corresponding set of electrical leads on the IC device 120.

Illustrated in FIGS. 4A through 4F, as well as FIGS. 4G and 4H, areembodiments of the formation of the skived contact 390 shown in FIG. 3.Referring first to FIG. 4A, a body of metal 492 is disposed on thecircuit board 110. In one embodiment, a single spring contact 390 willbe formed from this metal body 492; however, in other embodimentsmultiple spring structures may be formed from the same metal body. Itshould be noted that in each of FIGS. 4A-4F, a plan view of a portion ofcircuit board 110 and metal body 492 (and ultimately contact 390) isshown in the upper portion of the figure, whereas a side elevation viewof these structures is shown in the lower portion of the figure. In eachof FIGS. 4G and 4H, only a plan view is illustrated.

The metal body 492 may have any suitable shape. In one embodiment, asshown in the figures, the metal body 492 may comprise a circular-shapedpad or column extending upwards from the board 110. It should beunderstood, however, that metal body 292 may have any other suitableshape (e.g., an oval-shaped pad or column, etc.). Also, body 492 maycomprise any suitable metal amenable to the skiving process. Forexample, the metal body 492 may comprise copper, a copper alloy (e.g.,beryllium copper), aluminum, an aluminum alloy, brass and other brassalloys, phosphor bronze, nickel silver, etc. Further, in otherembodiments, the body 492 may comprise an electrically conductive metal,and the metal body 492 may be electrically coupled with one or moreconductors in the substrate 110.

Referring to FIG. 4B, a skiving tool 405 is shown, and this skiving toolwill be used to form a spring contact by skiving. Skiving tool 405 maycomprise any suitable blade or cutting tool capable of performing askiving operation on the metal body 492 to form an electrical contact390, which in this instance includes a coil-like spring. The skivingtool 405 may be constructed from any suitable material (e.g., carbide,tungsten carbide, high strength steel, etc.).

Referring to FIG. 4C, skiving has commenced, and the cutting tool 405has engaged the metal body 492. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4A-4F, thecutting tool 405 has engaged a portion of the circular metal body 492proximate the body's periphery (e.g., a portion having a width that isless than or equal to a radius of the metal body). The cutting tool 405is moving in a circular motion relative to the metal body 492, asdenoted by the arrow 5 in each of FIGS. 4C-4E. As the cutting tool 405engages the metal body 492, a portion 494 of the metal body is cut away,and this cut-away portion 494 begins to separate and, in this instance,curl upwards away from the underlying body 492. Because the cutting tool405 is moving in a circular direction relative to the circular-metalbody 492, the cut-away portion 494 will have a hoop- or coil-likestructure.

As shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E, with continued circular movement of thecutting tool 405 relative to the metal body 492, the length of theskived away coil-like structure 494 increases, and this structurecontinues to curl or bend upwards away from the underlay body 492. InFIG. 4E, the cutting tool 405 is shown at the point of maximum cuttingdistance into the metal body 492. It should be noted that, for clarityand ease of illustration, the cutting tool 405 is only shown in theupper plan view in FIG. 2E.

Referring to FIG. 4F, skiving is complete, and the cutting tool 405 hasbeen retracted from the metal body 492. After removal of the cuttingtool, the skived portion 494 remains curled upwards (or otherwiseseparate from the body 492), and this upwardly extending skived portion494 may form a spring electrical contact (in this case, a coil-likespring). The remaining portion of the metal body 492 is secured to thecircuit board 110 and provides a base for the skived coil spring 494.Together the base (un-skived portion of metal body 492) and the springcontact (skived portion 494) form a spring contact 390, and this springcontact comprises a single piece of material.

The total angle θ (see FIG. 4F) through which the cutting tool 405 movesrelative to the circular body 492—and, hence, the length of the coilspring structure 494 that is skived away—can be varied depending uponthe desired characteristics (e.g., the spring constant, etc.) of thespring contact 390. In the embodiment of FIG. 4F, the cutting tool 405traversed through an angle of approximately 270 degrees. However, inother embodiments, the cutting tool 405 may traverse though an angle ofapproximately 90 degrees or more, and in another embodiment the cuttingtool may traverse through an angle greater than 360 degrees (e.g., theskived coil spring 494 may comprise multiple turns).

In FIGS. 4A-4F, the metal body 494 from which the coil-like spring 494was skived comprises a circular-shaped body. However, as noted above,the disclosed embodiments are not limited to any particular shape. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 4G, a coil-like spring structure 494 may beskived from an oval-shaped metal body 492. Further, in the embodimentsof FIGS. 4A-4F (as well as FIGS. 2A-2F), a single spring structure wasskived from the underlying metal body. However, in other embodiments,multiple spring structures may be formed. By way of example, as shown inFIG. 4H, two (or more) coil-like spring structures 494 a, 494 b havebeen skived from a circular-shaped metal body 492 (and it should beunderstood that, in the embodiments of FIGS. 2A-2F, multiplecantilever-like spring structures may be skived from a single metalbody).

Referring now to FIG. 5, shown is a block diagram illustrating anembodiment of a method of forming an electrical contact on a substrateusing a skiving technique. With reference to block 510 in this figure,one or more metal bodies are formed on a circuit board or other suitablesubstrate. The metal bodies may be arranged on the substrate in anysuitable pattern, and in one embodiment the metal bodies are oriented inan array corresponding to a set of electrical leads on an IC device. Anysuitable process or combination of processes may be employed to form themetal bodies, including lithography, blanket deposition techniques suchas chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD),electroplating or electroless plating, and/or etching processes. Themetal bodies may be formed from any metal (or other conductive material)that is amenable to skiving, including copper, a copper alloy (e.g.,beryllium copper), aluminum, an aluminum alloy, brass and other brassalloys, phosphor bronze, nickel silver, etc. Also, the metal bodies mayhave any suitable thickness, and in one embodiment the metal bodies havea thickness in a range between approximately 100 μm and 1 mm.

Referring to block 520 in FIG. 5, a skiving tool engages one (or more)of the metal bodies to form a spring contact from the metal body. Thespring contact may comprise a cantilever-like spring (e.g., see FIGS. 1and 2A-2I), a coil-like spring (e.g., see FIGS. 3 and 4A-4H), or othersuitable type of spring. Further, two or more spring structures may beformed from each metal body (or a selected number of the metal bodies).The skived-away spring structures may have any suitable thickness.According to one embodiment, the skived-away spring structure has athickness of 100 μm or greater. However, in other embodiments, a skivedspring structure may have a thickness of less than 100 μm.

As set forth in block 530 of FIG. 5, the skiving process may be repeatedon the remaining metal bodies to form an array of electrical contacts.In one embodiment, the metal bodies are skived sequentially one at atime. However, in other embodiments, two or more metal bodies may beskived simultaneously. In a another embodiment, all of the metal bodiesmay be skived simultaneously in a single pass.

Optionally, in a further embodiment, as shown in block 540, one or morepost-skiving treatments may be performed. Examples of post-skivingoperations that may be performed include cleaning, heat treatments suchas annealing, the application of one or more coatings, or anycombination of these and other desired processes.

The foregoing detailed description and accompanying drawings are onlyillustrative and not restrictive. They have been provided primarily fora clear and comprehensive understanding of the disclosed embodiments andno unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom. Numerousadditions, deletions, and modifications to the embodiments describedherein, as well as alternative arrangements, may be devised by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the disclosedembodiments and the scope of the appended claims.

1-14. (canceled)
 15. A method comprising: providing a substrate having ametal body disposed on a surface thereof; and forming, by skiving, aspring from a portion of the metal body, wherein another portion of themetal body provides a base that remains secured to the substrate;wherein the spring extends from the base and has an end for makingelectrical contact with a lead of an integrated circuit device.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the spring comprises a cantilever-likespring.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the spring comprises acoil-like spring.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the coil-likespring includes more than one turn.
 19. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising: forming, by skiving, a second spring from the metal body;wherein the second spring extends from the base and has an end formaking electrical contact with the lead of the integrated circuitdevice.
 20. The method of claim 15, wherein the metal body comprises ametal selected from a group consisting of copper, aluminum, brass,bronze, nickel, silver, and alloys thereof.
 21. The method of claim 15,wherein the substrate includes a number of other metal bodies, themethod further comprising: forming, by skiving, a spring from a portionof each of the other metal bodies, wherein another portion of each othermetal body provides a base that remains secured to the substrate;wherein each of the springs extends from its respective base and has anend for making electrical contact with a lead of the IC device.